


Stuffed Animals and Hard Truths

by IncendiaGlacies



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Rip Week 2019, RipFic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-20 10:08:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19374553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IncendiaGlacies/pseuds/IncendiaGlacies
Summary: Rip attempts to impart some wisdom and advice onto newest Captain Martina Jackson. Attempts, being the key word.





	Stuffed Animals and Hard Truths

**Author's Note:**

> Written for RipWeek 2019 Day Three: Unusual Friendships

“Miss Martina Jackson,” Rip said gravely as he took a seat in her bedroom. “Gideon tells me that you will be her new Captain one day. Do you really think you’re ready for such a great feat?”

Martina gave him a blank stare, giving away nothing. Clearly, she had been trained by her father. Rip squared his jaw and prepared himself for the next round.

“I simply mean to say that it is a very difficult and demanding job. Do you really think you can be away from your family for months at a time because it will happen.” He got up, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he paced. “Oh, you’ll tell yourself, no, no, I’ll make time, I’m a time traveller, I can visit them whenever. But mark my words, Miss Jackson, time is always in control. All you can do is hope to edge it along.”

He turned to look at her, to get her thoughts on the subject. Still, she didn’t break, continuing to give him the silent treatment. Well, Mr. Jackson did say his daughter was stubborn like him.

“You would have to be discreet, very much so. This isn’t just stealing candy, it is protecting the timeline. One of the highest honours there is.”

Martina went back to her own devices, blatantly ignoring Rip. He huffed in response.

“Miss Jackson, I don’t think you’re understanding the gravity of the situation. If you are to truly replace me as Captain one day, you must be prepared. This isn’t just going to the moon for fun or a day trip to Mars or whatever else you and Gideon have gallivanted off to when we’re not looking. This is more than a career, it is your life we are talking about.”

He paced as he talked. “More than that, there’s always maintenance to do on the ship. I’m sure your father has prepared you well, what with watching him work on the car engines, but a timeship. Oh ho, Miss Jackson, a timeship is completely new territory. Now, I’ve been told you pick up on lessons rather quickly and are as smart as a whip, but dealing with a timeship is a completely different learning curve. One, I fear, that may be far steeper than what you have witnessed before.”

“Still, barring the Waverider, there is the matter of Gideon to discuss. Ever since I got her the android body she has had a complete notion of independence. You have to keep her in line at all times. Yes, she is there to guide you, advise you, help you in any way she can but at the end of the day, Gideon needs to be told no.”

Rip rounded on her. “Do you think you are ready for that kind of commitment? For the harsh truths of being a time traveller? The dangers that come with dealing with aberrations, anachronisms, ruthless Time Pirates, and even dragons? For the absolute, insurmountable amount of-“

A stuffed giraffe hit Rip square in the nose.

“Mmmbah!” One year old Teeny fell over in giggles, squealing with joy. Rip sighed and picked up the toy, bending down to her level in the crib.

“I am trying to have a serious discussion with you over here and all you want to do is play?” He wagged the giraffe in front of her. “And we have had this discussion before. If you throw your toys you don’t get to play with them.”

“Gah!” Teeny raised her arms and squealed again, wanting to be picked up.

With another deep sigh, Rip obliged and picked her up, kissing the top of her head. “I need you to be prepared. I need you to be safe. And I need you to be good enough to take over after I – well, after I’m gone. Gideon and the Waverider deserve someone worthy of them. In a way I never was.”

Teeny patted his cheeks, fascinated with his beard and tapped his nose with a laugh. Her eyes got big as she started vocalizing again and Rip bounced her lightly, hoping to amuse her. She squirmed slightly and Rip let her down.

“Fickle, aren’t you?” he said, watching as she waddled to her play box.

Well, half walked and half crawled. She really had to grow out of the habit. Teeny returned with a large stuffed snake and crawled into Rip’s lap.

“Sssssss!” she hissed at him.

“Yes, the snake says hsssss. Would you like to go over the thermodynamics of the time drive again? I don’t think you were paying proper attention the first time I went through it and it can be very unstable.”

“You would know. Having nearly died from it, what, three times now?”

Rip looked up and saw Gideon leaning against the doorway looking unamused.

“Only two, dear.”

“Felt like more.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You better be,” she muttered. “Hello, my precious Teeny!” Gideon held out her arms and Teeny immediately wanted to go to her.

“Ga-ga!”

“Yes, Gideon’s here!” Gideon bestowed kisses upon the small baby’s cheeks. “What was Uncle Rip bothering you about? Was he being boring again?”

“I am not boring!”

“You are a little boring.”

“Just because I refused to let you go skydiving-“

“You jump off buildings all the time! What’s the difference?”

Rip gave her an annoyed look and got up to rub Teeny’s back as Gideon held her. “I just thought I would give her some pointers, for being Captain one day. Since you insist.”

Gideon bounced Teeny silently for a few minutes. “As much as I admire you’re tenacity, you do realize she’s only one? We have time, don’t we?”

“Yes, yes, of course we do.” He held her arm, not wanting to worry her. “But one day, you will have to continue on without me. I just want to make sure Martina is ready.” In the way he never had the chance to prepare Jonas.

“I know,” Gideon said softly.

“Besides, you’re the last person I would expect to object. You sleep trained me for months in the early days.”

“You did that on your own. I told you to get some bloody sleep. Only time I could be rid of you was when you went to bed.”

“Thanks for that.”

Gideon kissed Teeny’s cheek and handed her back to Rip. “She’ll be brilliant. You know she will be.”

He swallowed the lump in his throat. If she wasn’t, he could never forgive himself for allowing Jax’s daughter take the path to her own demise. “Yes,” he said softly.

Gideon kissed his cheek and made him smile slightly. “Teeny, my precious, do you know where your daddy kept the matches?”

“Ababa!”

“Okay, the lighter? For candles?”

“Aga!”

“Thank you, my love.”

Rip frowned from the child in his arms to Gideon. “Okay, first, I thought we agreed no more fires? Second, why ask her?”

“Mr. Jackson has some legal documentation that I need to take care of. And I speak baby.”

“You do not speak baby.” Her other words caught up to him. “No, no, no! You are not burning her birth certificate or the godparents paperwork. We are supposed to be babysitting!”

“Well, if they trust me to look after her they should let me be godmother or her namesake. I would be a much better choice than Ms. Stein!”

“Gideon!”

“You can’t stop me!” she yelled as she ran out of the room.

Rip debated going after her but thought better of it. With an exasperated sigh he looked at his companion. “I hope you’re ready to be Captain because that is what you’ll be putting up with nonstop. You have to be ready, Teeny. You have to be.”

“Ababagn!”

Teeny laughed and yawned. Rip picked up her giraffe and let her cuddle it as she settled against him and closed her eyes. He hummed softly, shifting his weight from foot to foot, an old technique he hadn’t used in years since Jonas.

“Sweet dreams, Little Captain.”

Miss Teeny would do just fine. Rip would make sure of it.


End file.
